The present invention is directed to sensing devices and their processing. More particularly, the invention provides a method and apparatus for sensing electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum using a bolometer device. The invention also provides a method and apparatus for sensing chemical species. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability. For example, the invention can be applied to other wavelengths such as millimeter waves or visible light, biological materials, and other species and/or particles, and the like.
As technology progresses, certain types of detection devices have become important. Detection devices range from motion sensors to those that detect certain frequencies of electromagnetic radiation and detectors for a variety of chemical species. Motion sensors include, among others, mechanical, capacitive, inductive, and optical designs. A specific type of motion sensor includes accelerometers and the like, which rely upon micro-electrical mechanical systems (“MEMS”) based technology. Such detection devices also include, among others, infrared detectors, and imagers. An example of infrared detectors include bolometer designs. Other types of detectors include chemical sensors, which rely upon sensing differences in voltage potentials while being coupled to an unknown chemical species.
Although many of these sensor designs have had certain success, a variety of drawbacks or limitations still exist. For example, conventional bolometer designs are often difficult to manufacture cost efficiently due to constraints in materials and processing techniques. Additionally, many if not all of these sensor designs use conventional mechanical, capacitive, inductive, and optical techniques that rely upon a variety of conventional metals and/or semiconductor materials. Such materials are often limited in the ability to provide an efficient and highly accurate device. Such materials are often reactive and may degrade over expended periods of time. These and other limitations of conventional devices can be found throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
From the above, it is seen that an improved technique for manufacturing devices is highly desired.